Get the best offers from
Internet providers around you

OUR LATEST BLOGS

03Aug

How Much Internet Speed Do you Really Need

The latest innovations and advancements in the field of telecommunications have considerably changed the way in which we communicate, work, educate our children, and access information. A recent survey revealed that approximately 113 million American citizens actively use the internet to access social media platforms, play online games, and to connect with their friends and family members. The survey also revealed that these internet users spend more than 9 hours on the internet every week. This implies that the demand for the internet is growing exponentially in today’s digital era.

However, several internet users in the United States often claim that the internet speed offered by their service provider is not sufficient for meeting their internet related requirements. As most of us are heavily reliant on the internet, the demand for high-speed internet has dramatically increased over the last few years. If you feel that the internet speed offered by your internet service provider is not up to the mark, then you should consider upgrading your internet plan or switching to a new internet service provider.

Several customers who are new to the world of internet often ask is there any way to catch the best internet deals in my area. If you wish to do this, then the first and most important thing you should do is to figure out how much internet speed you really need. The internet speed requirements of one customer may significantly vary when compared to another customer. For starters, you will need to examine your internet usage patterns and thoroughly assess your needs. So, instead of asking yourself how to acquire the best internet deals in my area, you need to ask how much internet speed is needed at my home or office.

Different Types of Internet Users

Types Of Internet Users

If you are a person who uses the internet connection at his home actively on a daily basis, then you will surely need access to a high-speed internet connection with no delays or interruptions. However, users who are signing up for an internet connection for the first time in their life will not probably need access to an unlimited internet plan with greater speed. This is because most of these users will be using their internet connection for light activities such as checking emails and accessing social media platforms.

Light Internet Users

A vast majority of the light internet users in the United States use the internet connection at their home for web surfing, checking emails, music and stand-definition video streaming, and to share files with low sizes. If you are a light internet user who is wondering how to capture the best internet deals in my area, then consider choosing an internet plan with a speed of 5 to 10 Mbps.

Internet users who use the internet only a few times every week for basic or light internet activities should opt for a basic internet plan. This is because there is no point in paying for an internet connection with greater speeds if you are not actively using the connection. However, if you feel that your internet connection is too slow or if your internet demands have considerably increased, then it is best to upgrade your plan. On the other hand, customers who do need higher inter speed could consider switching to an internet plan with lower internet speed to save money. Nevertheless, you need to take into account your internet speed requirements before changing your internet plan.

Moderate Internet Users

Most of the moderate internet users in the country use the internet connection in their home to play online games and stream HD video contents. In addition to that, some moderate users particularly businessmen and employees often use internet to video conference with their clients. In most cases, all these moderate internet activities might happen at the very same time, which in turn means that these users should choose an internet plan that delivers at least 10 Mbps speed at all times. However, the maximum internet speed required for these online activities is around 25 Mbps. So, you should not subscribe to an internet plan with greater speed, as you will end up overpaying for the service.

If you are using the internet connection each day of the week to check emails, watch YouTube videos, stream high-definition video contents, and to scroll through Facebook feed, then you are a moderate internet user. If you choose an internet plan with less than 10 Mbps, then you will not be satisfied with the service. So, opt for an internet plan with 10-25 Mbps speed to enjoy a fine internet using experience.

Heavy Internet Users

Internet users who love to stream plenty of HD video contents through streaming services and the ones who like to play high-definition online games on a regular basis fall into the category of heavy internet users. These users also engage in other heavy internet activities such as video conferencing, streaming and downloading music files, and more. The minimum speed required for these online activities is estimated to be around 50 Mbps while the maximum is around 1000 Mbps In the case of extreme internet users.

If you are a heavy internet user, then you will probably want your videos to load at a rapid pace. This means that customers who are using a slow internet connection will often feel frustrated and irritated when it takes a greater amount of time for their videos to load. This is something most users wish to avoid.

Internet Usage Limit

Several customers, especially heavy internet users, often ask how to acquire the best internet deals in my area. If you are a heavy internet user wish to get the best internet deals in the market, then you need to pick a plan with zero monthly data caps. This is because most heavy internet users will surpass 1 or 2 TB of data within just a few weeks. So, if the monthly data limit in your plan is 1 or 2 TB, then you will need to buy additional data from your internet service provider.

Factors That Affect your Internet Speed

Customers who are asking themselves how to get the best internet deals in my area often forget to check the customer reviews and service reliability of the internet providers who are operating in their area. It is significant to note that you will most probably experience a few system outages and other issues with your internet service. When that happens, you will need an expert team of customer service technicians who are there for you to resolve the issues. So, you should get in touch with your preferred internet service provider and check whether their customer service is good or not.

If you are satisfied with the customer service and plans offered by the provider, you should ask them whether the internet speed advertised by them will be consistent or not. In addition to that, you must make sure that all issues related to your internet connection will be resolved by the provider at the earliest. Some of the most common factors that affect the speed of an internet connection are as follows.

Technology

If the internet routers and modems in your home or office are old or outdated, then they will fail to keep up with your high-speed internet connection. As a result, you will find it very difficult to use the internet and to carry out personal and work-related tasks with ease. Internet users who wish to avoid such hassles should get in touch with the leading internet providers in their area and ask them whether they need to upgrade the internet producing devices in their home or not.

Moreover, the type of internet connection (DSL, fiber, cable, or satellite) that your internet service provider is using to deliver internet to your home will also have a significant impact in the speed of your service. Most of the fiber internet providers in the country offer greater speed to customers due to the innovative technology that they are using to deliver internet. On the other hand, the speed offered by cable and DSL internet providers is not that impressive when compared to the fiber optic internet providers in the country.

Data Caps

Some of the internet providers in the United States usually put a monthly data cap on their unlimited and high-speed internet plans. If the monthly data cap of your internet plan is 1 TB, then the speed of your service will be considerably decreased once you hit the 1 TB data mark every month. This will prevent you from streaming video contents and using the connection for other heavy internet activities.

The good news is that you can buy extra data from your provider by paying additional dollars and continue to enjoy a fine internet experience. However, this might not seem like an economic option for several internet users because you will end up overpaying for the service. So, active internet users and the ones who consume a greater amount of internet data every day should look for an unlimited internet plan with no monthly data caps.

Number of Devices

High Speed Internet

If you are a new user who is subscribing to an internet connection for the first time in his/her life, then you will be probably using the connection through your PC and smartphone. However, this is not the case when it comes to moderate and heavy internet users. These two categories of internet users usually tap into their internet connection from gaming systems, smart TVs, computers, tablets, and multiple smartphones at the very same time. This will certainly reduce the internet speed of your service.

Likewise, if there are multiple numbers of heavy internet users in your home, then look for internet plans with a minimum speed of 50 or 75 Mbps because you will need such an internet speed to meet your requirements. Moreover, in such cases, you should also avoid internet plans with data limits because you will exceed the preset limit every month due to the heavy use of the internet.

Other Factors

It is crucial to remember that the peak hours of internet usage in the United States is usually between 7 to 11 pm at night. This means that several users will be using the internet in between these peak hours, which means that the speed of your internet connection may get a bit low during these hours. This is because the demand for internet usually outweighs the capacity of the system during the peak hours.

If you are living in a rural or remote part of the country, then you might have picked satellite internet over other viable choices. The issue with satellite internet providers is that the signals transmitted by them might get disrupted due to storm and other adverse weather conditions. However, most of these issues may get resolved within a day or two.

Points to Remember

Most of the internet users love to stream their favorite TV shows and movies through an online streaming service. The minimum internet speed required for streaming videos through Netflix and other popular streaming services is estimated to be around 3 Mbps. However, the recommended internet speed may vary based on the quality of the video.

For instance, users who are streaming standard definition videos will require only an internet speed of 3 Mbps while streaming videos in HD requires a minimum internet speed of 5 Mbps. Finally, internet users who are streaming TV shows and movies in 4K or HDR resolution will certainly need to subscribe to an internet service that constantly delivers an internet speed of 25 Mbps or above.

Another important thing business owners and employees should realize that a minimum internet speed of 3 to 4 Mbps is only required for basic computer programs and checking emails. However, businesses who communicate with their clients through Skype video calls will need to have access to an internet connection that offers a speed of 10 Mbps or more. If your employees have to transfer large files on a daily basis, then a minimum internet speed of 40 Mbps will be required at your office.

Conclusion

If you are wondering how to get access to the best internet deals in my area and save a few dollars, then you need to thoroughly compare the different internet plans of internet providers. If you are able to find a plan that perfectly matches with your internet requirements, then it is best to subscribe to the plan. However, you should also look for promotional deals and other offers, as it will surely help you to save hundreds of your valuable dollars.

Disclaimer: The trademarks and brand names displayed on Getprovider.com belong to their respective companies or owners. GetProvider.com has no association with the trademarks, brands or companies. Getprovider.com’s plans, reviews and comparisons are based on data available to the public on the internet. The use of any third party trademarks on this site in no way indicates any relationship, connection, association, sponsorship, or affiliation between GetProvider.com and the holders of said trademarks. Actual prices of services and availability of services may vary according to the physical address of your location.